Chapter 9

And he answered me, and sayd: Measuring measure thou the time in it selfe: and it shal be when thou seest, after a certaine part of the signes which are spoken of before shal passe,

then shalt thou vnderstand, that the same is the time wherin the Highest wil beginne to visite the world that was made by him.

And when there shal be sene in the world mouing of places, and truble of peoples,

then shalt thou vnderstand, that of these spake the Highest, from the dayes that were before thee, from the beginning.

For as al that is made in the world hath a beginning, and also a consummation, and the consummation is manifest:

so also the times of the Highest haue the beginning manifest in wonders and powers, and the consummations in worke and in signes.

And it shal be, euery one that shal be saued, and that can escape by his workes, and by fayth, in which you haue beleeued,

shal be leaft out of the foresayd dangers, and shal see my saluation in my land, and in my costes, because I haue sancitifed my selfe from the world.

And then shal they be in miserie, that now haue abused my wayes: and they that haue reiected them in contempt, shal abide in torments.

For they that knew not me, hauing obtained benefits when they liued:

and they that loathed my law, when they yet had libertie,

and when as yet place of penance was open to them vnderstoode not, but despised: they must after death in torment know it.

Thou therfore be not yet curious, how the impious shal be tormented: but inquire how the iust shal be saued, and whose the world is, and for whom the world is, and when.

And I answered, and sayd:

I haue spoken hertofore, and now I say, and hereafter wil say: that they are more which perish then that shal be saued:

as a floud is multiplied aboue, more then a droppe.

And he ansvvered me, and sayd: Like as the field so also the sedes: and as the flovvers, such also the colours: and as the workeman, such also the worke: and such as the husbandman, such is the husbandrie: because it was the time of the world.

And now when I was preparing for them, for these that now are before the world was made, wherin they should dwel: and no man gaynsayd me.

For then euery man, and now the creator in this world prepared, and haruest not fayling, and law vnsearchable their manners are corrupted.

And I considered the world, and behold there was danger because of the cogitations that came in it.

And I saw, and spared it very much: and I kept vnto my selfe a grape kernel of a cluster, and a plant of a great trybe.

Let the multitude therfore perish, which was borne without cause, and let my kernel be kept, & my plant: because I finished it with much labour.

And thou if thou adde yet seuen other dayes, but thou shalt not fast in them,

thou shalt goe into a field of flowers, where no house is built: & thou shalt eate only of the flowers of the field, and flesh thou shalt not tast, and wine thou shalt not drinke, but only flowers.

Pray to the Highest without intermission, and I wil come, and wil speake with thee.

And I went forth, as he sayd to me, into a field which is called Ardath, and I sate there among the flowers. And I did eate of the herbes of the field, and the meate of them made me ful.

And it came to passe after seuen dayes, and I sate downe vpon the grasse, and my hart was trubled ayayne as before.

And my mouth was opened, and I beganne to speake before the Highest, and sayd:

O Lord thou shewing thy selfe to vs, wast shewed to our fathers in the desert, which is not troden, and vnfruitful, when they came out of AEgypt: and saying thou saydst:

Thou Israel heare me, and sede of Iacob attend to my wordes.

For behold, I sow my lawe in you, and it shal bring forth fruite in you, and you shal be glorified in it for euer.

For our fathers receiuing the law obserued it not, and kept not my ordinances, and the fruite of the law did not appeare: for it could not, because it was thine.

For they that receiued it, perished, not keeping that which had bene sowen in them.

And behold it is the custome, that when the earth hath receiued sede, or the sea a shippe, or some vessel meate or drinke: when that shal be destroyed wherin it was sowne, or into the which it was cast:

that which was sowne, or cast in, or the thinges that were receiued, are destroyed withal, and the thinges receiued now tarye not with vs: but it is not so done to vs.

We in dede that receiued the law, sinning haue perished, and our hart that receiued it:

For the law hath not perished, but hath remayned in his labour.

And when I spake these thinges in my hart, I looked backe with myne eyes, and saw a woman on the right side, and behold she mourned, and wept with a lowd voice, and was sorrowful in mynde exceedingly, and her garments rent, and ashes vpon her heade.

And I left the cogitations, wherin I was thinking, and I turned to her and sayd to her:

Why weepest thou? and why art thou sorie in mynde. And she sayd to me:

Suffer me my Lord, that I may lament myselfe, & adde sorrow: because I am of a very pensiue mynde, and am humbled exceedingly.

And I sayd to her, What ayleth thee: tel me. And she sayd to me:

I thy seruant haue beene barren, and haue not borne childe, hauing a husband thirty yeares.

For I euery howre, and euerie day, and these thirty yeares do beseche the Highest night and day.

And it came to passe, after thirtie yeares God heard me thy handmayd, and saw my humilitie, and attended to my tribulation, and gaue me a sonne: and I was very ioyful vpon him, and my husband, and al my citizens, and we did glorifie the Strong exceedingly.

And I nourished him with much labour.

And it came to passe when he was growen, and came to take a wife, I made a feast day.